Health Indicator Report of Gonorrhea Cases

Why Is This Important?

Although much less common than chlamydia infections, gonorrhea, caused by the bacterium ''Neisseria gonorrhoeae'', is a priority public health concern in Utah. Untreated gonorrhea infections can damage the reproductive systems of both males and females. Females with gonorrhea infection are at risk for developing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), and both men and women may become infertile as a result of untreated gonorrhea infections. Also, susceptibility to infections such as HIV also increases when an individual has gonorrhea. Furthermore, pregnant women with gonorrhea can pass the infection to their infant during delivery, potentially resulting in ophthalmia neonatorum. Gonorrhea can spread to joints and become systemic (disseminated gonorrhea). In addition to the cervix and urethra, the rectum and pharynx are also possible sites of gonococcal infection.

Map

Gonorrhea by Local Health District, Utah, 2017

Chart

Data Table

Gonorrhea by Local Health District, Utah, 2017

Data Notes

Notes

Rates were calculated by dividing the number of cases within a local health district by the total population in that district and multiplying by 100,000.

Data Sources

Utah Department of Health, Bureau of Epidemiology

Population Estimates: National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) through a collaborative agreement with the U.S. Census Bureau, IBIS Version 2017

Data Interpretation Issues

Reported gonorrhea rates are calculated by dividing the number of cases within the population of interest by the total number of persons within that population, then multiplying by 100,000. It should be noted that because of the relatively small number of gonorrhea infections reported in Utah, rates can be volatile: a small change in the number of cases can noticeably change the rate. This change may look significant, but, statistically, it may not be. Caution is strongly recommended when interpreting small case numbers and rates.

Current Outlook

How Are We Doing?

Following a doubling of Utah's gonorrhea rate from 2003 to 2006, when the rate peaked at 35.2 cases per 100,000 persons, Utah's gonorrhea rate decreased annually to the lowest reported rate of 9.8 in 2011. From 2011 to 2017, gonorrhea rates increased 728.6% to 81.9 cases per 100,000 persons.
In 2017, gonorrhea rates in the state were higher in males (107.1 cases per 100,000 persons) than in females (56.4 cases per 100,000 persons). Rates in females increased 1,100.0% from 2011-2017, compared to 618.8% among males during the same time frame. In 2016 rates of gonorrhea in males increased 28.7% while rates of gonorrhea in females increased 38.8%. Rates increased in both males and females in 2017, 19.5% and 18.7%, respectively.
The highest rates of gonorrhea in Utah in 2017 were among males aged 25 to 29 (317.1 cases per 100,000 persons) and males aged 20 to 24 (275.1 cases per 100,000 persons).

How Do We Compare With the U.S.?

Gonorrhea rates in Utah are well below rates in the U.S. In 2017, Utah's gonorrhea rate ranked 43rd highest in the nation. The overall rate for gonorrhea in the U.S. in 2017 was 171.9 cases per 100,000 persons.
Nationally in 2017, gonorrhea rates were higher in males (202.5 cases per 100,000 persons) than females (141.8 cases per 100,000 persons). Gonorrhea rates were highest among males aged 20 to 24 (705.2 cases per 100,000 persons) and females aged 20 to 24 (684.8 cases per 100,000 persons). The next highest groups were males aged 25 to 29 (645.9 cases per 100,000 persons) and females aged 15 to 19 (557.4 cases per 100,000 persons). (CDC. [http://www.cdc.gov/std/stats17 ''Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance''], 2017)

Health Improvement

What Is Being Done?

Persons who test positive for gonorrhea are confidentially interviewed by a disease intervention specialist from a local health department to educate the patient, ensure proper treatment, and to obtain sexual partner information for follow up. This process potentially prevents the spread of infection and reduces the likelihood of the patient becoming reinfected. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently recommends that patients with gonococcal infections be treated with a dual antibiotic therapy that is effective against chlamydia to simultaneously treat this frequent coinfection, improve gonorrhea treatment efficacy, and potentially slow the emergence of resistance to cephalosporins.
The Utah Department of Health Communicable Disease Prevention Program, along with local health departments, currently provide STD presentations upon request to a variety of organizations, agencies, and facilities.

Available Services

Local health districts have STD (sexually transmitted disease) clinics located at their local health department where adolescents can be tested and treated for STDs at minimal or no cost. Planned Parenthood has locations throughout Utah that also provide STD services at minimal cost. Condoms are available at these locations free of cost.
STD presentations are available through the Utah Department of Health upon request. The Utah Department of Health also has educational pamphlets available.
The Utah Minor's Consent Law allows adolescents between the ages of 14 and 17 years to be tested and treated for an STD without the consent of a parent.

Utah DOH

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